I blinked and apparently we are having yet another election.
Not sure why (see Electionitis) but the BBC are now talking about Election 2017, which is a follow up to the long running successful series: Election 2015 and 2010.
Apparently a UK General Election, is like things called "X-Factor", "The Voice", "Strictly Come Dancing", and various other TV programs, where the public vote for something meaningful, whether it is more meaningful or not than a General Election is a totally different question.
Elections in the UK are part of a very long running series that has involved more and more people over a long period of time.
We may have the Mother of All Parliaments but it less than a hundred years since we "all" had the vote, necessarily those under 18 are not allowed to vote - as they don't pay any taxes, or use public services, oops - actually they do. Maybe we need a Representation of the Small People Act
Initially the Reform Act of 1832, and its follow up acts The Reform Act of 1867, Representation of the People Act - 1884 and the most astonishing act of them all, where 'gasp', women were given the vote, the boldly named: Representation of the People Act 1918.
For all full list of all the Representation of the People Acts (as there have been very very many over the last century see the unbelievable list at the end of this article.
For some reason that escapes me the law on this keeps changing? I am sure this is just to to keep the Rotten Boroughs system alive and kicking into the 21st Century.
By the way, the axiom that every vote counts is so, so untrue - it really depends on which constituency you are in. Though, it is naturally all the other home nations (Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland) where the votes for the various assemblies and parliaments have been set up to be much fairer than in a UK General Election. Maybe there is a need for yet another "Representation of the People Act 2017 - you're vote really does count (tm)"
TV Coverage
It seems that David Dimbleby is doing election night again (and there was me hoping for Huw Edwards - the best thing to come of of Whales since Jonah and Geppeto - 0/10 fake news ed).
Now you may not know it, but I LOVE ELECTIONS (did I say that out loud - ed). It is one of the few times I get to draw these small square boxes on a piece of paper, write None of the Above, next to it, and then tick that box and put it into a ballot box.
Sadly, no matter how often I do this - one of the above seems to get elected. It is most unfair.
Mandate
I was going to have a minor rantette (no relation to the Ronnettes - musical ed) about each and every Government that has been elected since the War (more interestingly which War would that be - history ed) and it's so called mandate.
But I won't.
So I am hopeful you are relieved about that as I am.
Having decided not to rant - I have settled down with my shoes and socks off in a really cool front room (sadly with no alcohol to hand - it is a school night after all - ed) to post this blog - and if I start ranting again I may fail to get it published - and Election 2017 - is a week Thursday!
Hmmm
But I do get the urge to create a definition for mandate... but not tonight Josephine, there appears to be yet another questioning of the two main contenders for the next Prime Minister to be watched on the TV.
I have to keep apologising to the neighbours as I tend to shout quite loudly at the TV when I watch these programs - no matter which politician it is they avoid the question, obfuscate, lie, blatantly lie, twist the truth and fail to answer the question.
Jeremy Corbyn
I have not laughed at Jeremy - I paid my £3 and helped get him elected (well I thought about doing it - so that is just as real as actually doing it, isn't it - thought police ed).
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